The holy grail for most musicians I know is a gig that pays fairly, comes with an appreciative audience and provides a hospitable setting that allows the artist to feel comfortable enough to give their best performance.
In my decade-plus as an independent musician, hauling my own guitars, amps and sound gear across the state many times over, I’ve learned gigs that meet all those criteria can be few and far between — and I’ve learned to cherish them whenever they occur.
The Goldfinch Room series originated in January 2019 as a showcase for singer-songwriters to play their original compositions for a discerning audience. Hosted by Stephens Auditorium in Ames, the series has earned a sterling reputation among Iowa songwriter circles as a highly-sought gig precisely because musicians can count on that "holy grail" experience.
Now the Goldfinch Room is drawing on five years of fostering those intimate artist-audience connections with a weekend-long reunion festival Sept. 28-29. The Goldfinch Room Reunion Festival lineup includes nearly 20 acts, mostly from Iowa, who have performed in the Goldfinch Room previously. Festival programming also includes artist sessions, during which they will discuss their songwriting methods.
The performances will take place outside at the Iowa State Center, in the area between Fisher Theater and Stephens Auditorium, which has hosted musical legends such as Bob Dylan, Mavis Staples, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Merle Haggard and many more throughout its storied history.
The festival promises to be a banner event for Iowa musicians, music fans and songwriting nerds of all stripes, taking yet another step in the Goldfinch Room’s tradition of ushering the audience into the heart of the songs played on stage.
“Artists really feel a connection to the [Goldfinch Room] audience, and the audience feels exactly the same way,” said Tammy Koolbeck, executive director of Stephens Auditorium. “Everyone loves coming to a place where they feel like there’s that close and supportive interaction.”
I think that all of us artists agree that when you feel appreciated in all those aspects you play better and you put on a better show, so it’s a win-win for the audience and the performer.Chad Elliott, Iowa songwriter and visual artist
Chad Elliott, a long-time Iowa songwriter and visual artist, will perform at the festival with his duo partner Kathryn Fox. Their duo, which they call the Weary Ramblers, is riding the momentum of a recently released self-titled debut album in August, and Elliott said the Goldfinch Reunion Festival will serve as a kind of homecoming for him.
Elliott has performed in the Goldfinch Room both as a solo artist and with Fox, and he even painted the gorgeous backdrop of a goldfinch that adorns the stage.
Elliott said the Goldfinch Room environment supports and nurtures songwriters so they feel comfortable telling their stories, offering glimpses into their experience that may not shine through in other venues. That results in a powerful connection between artist and audience.
“You’re going to hear original songs from people who are telling their stories, and I think that everybody has an interesting story,” he said.
The audience expects and embraces original compositions. Elliott joked that anyone in the audience who shouts for “Free Bird” during a Goldfinch Room show is likely to get chased from the premises.
Koolbeck said that around three years into the Goldfinch Room’s tenure, she started to dream of a festival that would bring together a sprawling list of artists for a songwriting summit, and it took considerable time and effort to track down the funding to make such an ambitious idea possible. The festival is supported by the Ames Community Arts Council, the Iowa Arts Council and Discover Ames, as well as private donations from Doug and Gwenna Jacobson and David and Bonnie Orth.
Single- and two-day passes for the Goldfinch Room Reunion Festival are on sale now on the Iowa State Center website, and tickets to individual performances will become available on the days of the shows. Food trucks also will set up nearby so festivalgoers won’t have to leave or miss any performances while they grab a bite to eat, Koolbeck added.
In my experiences playing the Goldfinch Room, I’ve benefited from audiences that almost willed me to tread further than usual into the emotional frontiers of my songs. The audience invites the musician to explain how they find inspiration, where their drive to create comes from and where they want it to take them. Afterward, audience members buy merch, sign up for email newsletters and shake hands with the artists. The conclusion of every Goldfinch Room show feels like the end of a shared journey.
It’s a far cry from the countless barrooms I’ve played where I’m either politely tolerated by patrons or passive-aggressively ignored.
Elliott agreed that the supportive and attentive audience pushes the musicians to give their all.
“I think that all of us artists agree that when you feel appreciated in all those aspects you play better and you put on a better show, so it’s a win-win for the audience and the performer,” he said.
Goldfinch Room Reunion Festival Lineup
Brad & Kate, Spencer Braly, Casey Joe Collins, Robert Deitch, Ryne Doughty, Reggie Greenlaw, Patresa Hartman, Royce Johns, Fred Love, Rob Lumbard, Jordan Messerole, Wally Neal, Chris Patterson, Kellie Ray Powell, Sara Routh, The High Crest (Kat Darling and Aaron Earl Short), The Weary Ramblers (Chad Elliott & Kathryn Fox), Joshua Vorvick and Matt Woods.
Editor's note: CY Stephens, which presents the Goldfinch Room, is an IPR sponsor.